I was in the Plainsman office a couple of weeks ago and went to leave a message for Sarah, the design editor, about a fun image that Intrigue wanted to put on the front of our section. The message ended with, "Hope you are having a great day! Thanks, bye."
One of my colleagues heard me and responded, "Wow, you leave nice messages!"
I was puzzled by what she was talking about, and she referenced my goodbye.
I joked back and told her the nicer you are, the more inclined someone is to call you back.
The truth is, though, I end all of my messages that way and was surprised and saddened to hear that was abnormal or uncommon.
It seems there is a lack of common courtesy in today's society. In an age where everyone moves fast and even faster, slowing down for courtesy seems to be hard.
Everyone is trying to stay ahead of the game, learn more and discover more. Especially in a society with fewer jobs, individuals strive to make themselves look good and will all exhaust their resources to do so.
Common sense would say offering common courtesy would make people more interested and happy to help, because you are identifying that you need their help. The reality is people expect help from others immediately with no need for a, "Thank you for taking the time to help me."
It's all about the individual now, with less a feel for community.
At age 16, George Washington wrote the "110 Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation." His No.1 rule was, "Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present."
At 16, Washington realized the importance of courtesy and decency. Furthermore, it was No. 1 on his list of 110 rules. Clearly there was some importance there. Why is it that even adults today do not grasp the concept?
Holding the door for a person, and thanking the cashier at the grocery store or the movie theatre are just extra gestures people seem to have forgotten.
My Momma taught me respect for everyone. There isn't one person who doesn't deserve decency.
It took me an extra 10 seconds to add that phrase to the end of my message. Yes, I could have cut it and spent that extra ten seconds probably procrastinating on my work, but instead Sarah was able to recognize I addressed her as a person. I didn't just request and expect her help because she has a skill I lack.
As a result, the call back was respectful and she was quick to help.
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